Citizen Workshops Planned

Hispanic members of Congress and Latino groups are conducting citizenship workshops in Florida and elsewhere on July first.

By helping more immigrants become citizens, the Hispanic lawmakers hope that they will increase the number of voters who might help defeat candidates considered anti-immigrant.

They also hope the workshops will ``harness the power and potential of the massive marches and peaceful protests' in response to a border security bill passed by the House.

The bill includes a provision making all illegal immigrants in the country subject to felony prosecution. That provision was considered the primary trigger for protests.

At the workshops, volunteers will instruct immigrants on how to become a citizen, help them fill out and mail applications and help resolve problems.

Workshops are planned in the District of Columbia and at least eleven other states, including Florida.